Missionaries shift focus to fighting Muscular Sclerosis...

Great Attendance on the 31st

Sperm, Smilin' Jim, and Hands were there, along with Greener, Rocko, and BEV (blast from the past)! Robin and Jules made it,  CarmBoy was back--short one BT but he brought his buddy Tom Peno. Pat couldn't get Marko back--but brought another new guy--Pat. Red, Ron, Ernie, and Backwards Bob made it--but they left Wild Bill home this year to recover from a hip replacement (again). Oregon was represented well--Here For The Beer, 3D York, and Slomax--and Dave Johnson, as well as his sons, Rob and Tim, and their friend Alan, also made it.

Then Matt, David and Eric (more on these guys later) Quiet, and two friends of Pat's from San Pedro--Steve and Stewart all came in on Saturday!

        And that makes 56!  COOL!

As most of you know, we started working with Kathie Reid back in 1999, raising funds to help fight Leukemia--she rode her bike like crazy, and we gave her money like crazy--a great combination. After five years, many pedaled miles, and many thousands of dollars raised, Kathie last year decided to change her focus and start riding to fight Multiple Sclerosis.  We of course joined in.
She teamed up with Tyler Hamilton, the other gold medallist in cycling in Athens, and riding for the Tyler Hamilton Foundation this year she raised $7,800--with a good portion coming from the generosity of the Fishin Mission!! You probably received your letter from Kathie,  with all the great details of her ride--and the fact that as top-fundraiser--she actually got some private time (hmmmm) with Tyler Hamilton!
She never lost focus on why she was there--riding for her good friend and fellow Tennesee Vol--Lisa  Kelly!

So when you're out there on the lake this year, and the water is like glass, and the sky is a shade of blue that you've never seen before, take pride in the fact that you helped……
And dig deep to help again!!!

Kathie with Tyler Hamilton--how cool is that???

Fishin' Derby Controversy:  What was really caught?

The Fishin' Derby has been steeped in controversy (not unlike Tom Delay) over the years--everyone remembers the difficult ruling the Commish made on the 21st when there was an "alleged" big fish, but neither fish nor fisherman were present on Monday at 12:00PM!
This year it was "déjà vu all over again".  Friday is normally the day when folks try to get a jump on the competition, but the Mayor already had a 3 lb 8 oz'er in the freezer ! Closer inspection revealed a catch date of May 2nd--Easy Ruling!

So--with the shout of "Game On"--everyone ran for their poles, which sadly for some--were already in their hand! Yuk!
Omar  stopped the derby in it's tracks--locking up a 6 lb'er Friday afternoon--using PB on the upper-lower (you know what I mean) and some dynamite!
Sad to say that there was not a single verifiable  challenge to Omar's lunker! There was a lot of talk--but no proof! So when we got together Monday at

NOON, as the City Hall bells tolled, the award was announced--and any silence from the crowd that had gathered was because of envy, or the confusion as Slomax, the closest "look-alike" to Omar, accepted the award on his behalf!
With a proxy from Omar (okay--that was made up) we took the $205 prize money (to which Greener  generously added another C-Note) and spent it all on likker--as usual.

The 31st Annual Derby Winner--Big Dan Noble--and his big catch--which disappointed Disney fans worldwide when he refused to release it!!!!

Omar proudly displays his 6 pounder-- we had to then tell him his fly was open!